


Shattered

by Zutiala



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F, White Rose - Freeform, grimmdark au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-27
Updated: 2014-05-27
Packaged: 2018-01-26 17:44:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1696928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zutiala/pseuds/Zutiala
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Team RWBY is called out to the Emerald Forest for a seemingly minor hunt, but because it coincides with the first anniversary of Yang and Blake's first date Ruby and Weiss decide to tackle it alone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"ATTENTION TEAM RWBY!" Ruby yelled as she flung open the door to Team RWBY's dormitory, drawing a startled look from Blake as she fumbled for her book. "Uh… Blake? Where is everyone?"  
"Weiss is helping your sister get everything ready for tomorrow. From what I hear, your sister's really going all out."  
"Tomorrow…" Ruby rolled the word around on her tongue. "Tomorrow…"  
"Our one year anniversary, remember? Since we started dating; one Year to the day since Yang left that trail of Tuna…"  
"Oh yeah! The room smelt like fish for the rest of the day! What was at the end of that trail anyway?"  
Ruby raised an eyebrow at the sudden blush that infused the Faunus's cheeks. "Nothing too important…" mumbled Blake.  
"Uh huh. So do you have any idea where Yang and Weiss actually are?"  
"Not really. What's going on anyway?"  
"We've got an assignment in the Emerald Forest tomorrow. Weiss and I can take care of it though, it's only a few Beowolves. We'll let you enjoy tomorrow it's no biggie. See you!"  
With that, Ruby left as quickly as she'd arrived.

 

* * *

 

 

"See!? I told you we needed to be contactable!" Weiss snapped at Yang. It was dark outside their window, the preparations for the next day having taken longer than Yang had initially said, and the Heiress was in a foul mood when Ruby had told them of the change of plans upon their return to the dormitory. "What if the mission had been today? What if it were more than Beowolves! Ruby and Blake would have had to go one alone and if there had been a Death Stalker?! Or multiple packs of Ursa! Even we can't fight too many at once!"  
"Please don't fight guys…" pleaded Ruby. "I'm tired it's really late let's just go to sleep."  
"Relax!" Yang laughed as she walked over to her bed. "Nothing bad happened! I'll be more careful in the future that's all! Look, I promise I'll take my pad with me tomorrow. Happy?"  
"Fine! You're lucky it is just Beowolves! Otherwise you'd be skipping tomorrow for this mission!"  
"Weiss…" Ruby pleaded, tugging at her arm. "Let's just go to bed."  
"Fine." Relented Weiss, allowing Ruby to pull her under the covers as Yang slipped in next to an already sleeping Blake. Weiss smiled softly as she felt Ruby wrap around her.  
"Weiss? You smell like Tuna."  
The other girls giggle was enough to stave of Weiss's grimace, and a smile returned as she slipped into sleep.

 

* * *

 

 

The Emerald forest was quiet that day, save for the voices of two lovers as they walked, eyes peeled for Grimm but otherwise quite relaxed, soaking up each-others presence.  
"Come on!" Ruby pleaded, "It wasn't my fault!"  
"It most certainly was! Ruby Rose you are a dolt!"  
"Yeah but I'm your dolt, princess."  
"Ugh! Do you have any clue how insufferable you are?"  
"Well I can't be that insufferable or you wouldn't be dating me!"  
Weiss paused, thinking. The girl had a point. "Ugh. Every time she does this!" she muttered, pecking Ruby on the side of the head, completely unprepared for Ruby grabbing her head and pulling her into a breathtaking kiss.  
"That's more like it…"  
"I'll… bear that in mind…" panted the white-haired girl.  
"Shouldn't be too long now! We've been walking for ages!"

They arrived in a clearing not long afterwards. That's when they saw the first Beowolf.  
Eyes glowing red, it slunk from the trees, followed by another, and another.  
"Is… is this it?" Ruby raised her eyebrow. "I was… kinda expecting more." Shrugging, she pulled Crescent Rose from beneath her cloak, extending it into a rifle. Swiftly, she took aim and fired. That's when things went to hell.  
Beowolves poured from the trees, a numberless horde thundered towards the lovers and countless howls filled the air. Taking a step back, Ruby extended Crescent Rose into a full Scythe, then propelled herself into the masses.

Ruby swept Crescent Rose on an arc before firing a shot, propelling her above the Beowolves before another flurry of shots sent her back into the beasts, blood flying as she severed limbs and heads. Occasionally darting about with her semblance, Ruby moved about the battlefield, never staying in one place except to finish off a foe.  
Weiss, in contrast to her partners wild movement, kept the fighting restricted to a spiral pattern, moving only to evade or attack, Myrtenaster glowing yellow as she deftly parried, slashed, dodged, thrust and parried again, moving the spiral outward as the ground below her turned muddy with blood. Switching Myrtenaster to light blue she swung the rapier, freezing the Beowolves surrounding her before spinning her blades dust compartment to red and bursting the barrier with a wave of fire just in time to see an Ursa thundering towards her. Frantically, switching Myrtenaster's setting to white Weiss began conjuring glyphs, Using them to jump higher and higher, trying desperately to reach a better position from which to fight, only to see three Ursa closing in on a wildly spinning scythe.  
"Ruby!" Spinning Myrtenaster to violet, she launched herself at the Ursa closest to Ruby, feeling the blade bite into its neck before pulling it from the dead beast and switching back to yellow before she felt a sharp pain in her side and she was propelled to the side of the clearing. Using a tree to try and pull herself up, she gasped, clutching her left side as blood welled from where the Ursa had struck her. Forcing herself to her knees, she looked up as three things happened. The Ursa that struck her charged. Rose petals drifted through the air, and Ruby was hooking Crescent Rose around its neck, firing off a shot to decapitate it and jump down next to Weiss before reloading. There was fear in Ruby's eyes, fear and determination. She was not going to let Weiss down as she spoke one word.  
"Hide."

Turning, she disappeared in a flurry of rose petals, using her semblance to dash to the horde of Grimm, gunshots ringing and limbs flying. Ruby launched herself into the air regularly, sending bullets into the heads and necks of any Grimm that made a move towards Weiss. Finally, when she was certain she had their full attention, she launched herself away, the horde of Grimm on her tail.  
Ruby was terrified as she launched herself through the Emerald Forest, she couldn't get Weiss's horrible wound out of her head, and she could no longer keep the Grimm from turning back for her lover. But she had to keep their attention. She had to get them away from Weiss. That was all that mattered.

 

* * *

 

 

Ruby kept the chase up for over two hours, and she was exhausted. That's when she hit the ravine. Stumbling to a halt, Ruby despaired as she saw the ravine where Team RWBY had made its debut kill, the decapitation of the Nevermore at the top of the towering cliff on the other side of a long drop. Tears began to slide down her face as she turned to face the horde of Grimm. The Beowolves had spread out, trapping her. The Ursa were advancing slowly in a loose semicircle. A group of Boarbatusk had joined the horde, when did that happen?  
It didn't matter. She was never going to see Weiss again; or Yang, the amazing sister who had been there for Ruby her whole life; or Blake, the Faunus who understood every problem Ruby had ever come to her with, indeed, who was the one who had read the signs and told Ruby to ask out Weiss in the first place. Weiss, her girlfriend and lover, her own personal princess to look up to and talk to and love, hers was the face Ruby saw whenever she closed her eyes. Blinking back her tears, Ruby spun Crescent Rose, embedding the scythe tip in the ground.  
Locking a fresh clip into the weapon, Ruby opened fire at the closest Ursa.  
The Grimm horde surged forwards as Ruby launched herself, spinning, through the Beowolves, cutting them down in higher numbers than she would readily count, yet still more came in an endless horde. Rose petals flew from Ruby as she used her semblance, reloading mid-fight and locking in a clip marked with four arrows, pointing outwards.  
The muzzle flashes changed from white to black as she surged into the Grimm, pushing her tired and aching body to its limits. Then she launched herself through the mist of blood into the path of a charging Ursa.  
Ruby flew through the air when it hit her, Crescent Rose falling form her hands, trampled by Grimm, stomped beneath the hooves of Boarbatusk and the claws of Ursa. Semblancing, Ruby picked herself up from where she landed.  
Running for Crescent Rose, she ducked under Ursa and between Beowolves, tearing her cloak when it snagged on their claws and lunging for her beloved scythe when a Beowolf caught her leg. Screaming, her fingers found the handle, pulling it towards her and firing. Crescent Rose shuddered at the recoil as Ruby was ripped from the claws of the Beowolf, clinging desperately to the scythe. Landing near the ravine she pushed herself up, leaning on Crescent Rose, her savaged leg all but useless.  
Ruby used Crescent Rose to launch herself into the air one last time as an Ursa charged, before firing a final, shuddering shot to bring the blade down onto its armoured back.  
Crescent Rose shattered.

Ruby flew backwards, lying where she landed, too stunned to move, staring at what used to be her beloved Crescent Rose. Faintly, Ruby heard gunshots, then a scream. Suddenly, there was Weiss, on her knees next to her, sobbing.  
"Ruby?" Weiss's voice sounded faint, as though heard from a great distance. Bloody hands clutched at Ruby and warm tears splashed on her face. "Ruby? Ruby? No nononono don't leave me! Ruby please don't leave me! Ruby? RUBY!"

Weiss clutched Ruby to her chest, tears streaming down her face as Yang and Blake, contactable for once, held off the Grimm. Weiss hunched over the lifeless figure in her grasp, sobs wracking her body as blood the colour of roses stained the ground beneath her.


	2. Chapter 2

Yang was raging as she flared her Semblance, sending Grimm flying with every punch, but that rage surrounded a hollow core. Ruby was dead. Yang could hear Weiss's cries, she heard the anguish in them and knew only one thing could hurt the Heiress so horribly. Ruby was dead. The knowledge swirled about in her head as she decimated everything around her. It just didn't make sense, how could Ruby be dead? So much life, so much energy... how could it just be gone so suddenly? Yang didn't know nor care. Ruby was dead.

Blake moved mechanically, reacting to the Grimm around her on base instinct, barely noticing the Grimm she slaughtered. Blake tried to process what was happening, but there was nothing to process. Nothing reached her mind, not even Weiss's screams of loss. She had seen death before, in the White Fang, but nothing like this. Never anyone close to her. She didn't know how to process it. So she didn't.

Weiss howled, clutching Ruby in her arms, squeezing her lover to her chest, sobs wracking her small frame as she struggled to comprehend Ruby's death. It wasn't possible. Ruby couldn't die. Ruby loved her. Ruby couldn't die for her it wasn't right. No one was meant to die for her! Especially not Ruby! Ruby had to live... she had to... Without thinking, Weiss began to pour her Aura into Ruby. She had to live. Weiss felt Ruby's flesh knit together. It wasn't enough. Weiss poured more Aura into Ruby, and then more, and then more, and then more. Then without warning, Weiss collapsed, she had nothing left to give. It hadn't been enough... she wasn't... she just wasn't enough... She hardly felt the small girl move in her arms.

 

* * *

 

 

Cold. Ruby was cold. She didn't hurt though, why didn't she hurt? She became aware of arms around her, of a bright light beyond her closed eyelids. Slowly, she opened them as the blinding glow from Weiss's Aura cut off. Weiss was here. Weiss would make everything alright. Weiss would collapse, just as she was doing now... Collapse?

"Weiss?!" Ruby jerked into wakefulness twisting in Weiss's limp arms, and something pressed into her side. She still held the haft of Crescent Rose. Where was the rest of it? And then it all came flooding back; the hunt, Weiss getting hurt, Ruby leading the Grimm away... Crescent Rose shattering... her death. And now she was alive as Weiss collapsed. releasing the haft of Crescent Rose, Ruby pulled herself to her knees, staring down at Weiss. Her breathing was shallow, her skin was grey, her eyes were closed. Terrified, Ruby shook her. "WEISS? WEISS?" Weiss didn't even stir. Ruby looked up, Yang and Blake were fighting the Grimm horde. Weiss must have brought them. Ruby looked around for a weapon, Crescent Rose was gone, but Myrtenaster... There. Picking it up, Ruby grimaced as she felt her own blood on the handle. The ground it lay on was soaked in it. She shouldn't be alive. But Weiss needed her, she could not afford to dwell.

Yang flared her semblance as she met an Ursa's swipe with a punch of her own, firing off Ember Cecilia and following up with a fiery punch to it's throat. Whirling, she prepared to smash the skull of an approaching beowolf when a flurry of rose petals drifted into her eyes. Ruby thrust Myrtenaster into the neck of the Grimm, then withdrew it and thrust into it's heart. Slowly, Yang realized the battle was over. Before she could speak, however, Ruby was gone in a flurry of rose petals, kneeling over Weiss's still form.

"Ru... Ruby?" Yang quavered, coming up behind her as she panicked over Weiss's still form. "What happened? Ruby!"

"I don't know!" Ruby whirled on Yang, terror and confusion painted across her face. "Yang all I know is that I was hurt and now I'm not and Weiss might be dying so help me get her back to Beacon please!" Yang looked over at Blake, who stood dumbfounded. This was not what should be happening. What had Weiss done? Slowly, Yang bent down and picked up Weiss as Ruby found the haft of Crescent Rose, and Team RWBY began a slow trek back to Beacon. They hadn't moved very far when night fell.

 

* * *

 

 

"We need to rest, Ruby." insisted Blake, but there was no force behind it. She wanted to get back to Beacon almost as much as Ruby, so they could help Weiss, but she was tired. God, they all were. Yang's lively face was haggard, and Blake was having trouble focusing on anything. Ruby was by far the worst though, she hadn't said a word since the walk began, and her silver eyes, never leaving the ground in front of her, were flat. The ever present glint of energy was gone. Blake only hoped it would return when Weiss recovered... if Weiss recovered. Ruby shook her head and took Yang's arm, pulling her forward. Keep moving, help Weiss. Blake understood her thought processes precisely, she would likely be the same if anything were to happen to Yang. This sort of thing was why she had never heard of a Huntress living a happy life. The Grimm were always ready to take something from you. Yang stopped moving.

"Ruby... if we keep going and get jumped by Grimm, we're not going to make it. Weiss won't make it." Ruby turned to Yang, then looked at Weiss.

"I'll take first watch."

 

* * *

 

 

It was dark when Weiss opened her eyes. She felt cold, despite the arms wrapped around her. They were covered in dried blood. Her combat skirt was drenched in it. Ruby's blood. Ruby's arms were wrapped around her. She looked up into a pair of silver eyes.

"Weiss?" whispered Ruby. Weiss nodded, not talking. She felt... something. She... she wanted to... Ruby lent down and kissed her tenderly. It was a soft kiss, a loving kiss, and Weiss twisted around, drawing Ruby to the ground. Then the kiss grew into something else. Weiss started biting, she bit Ruby's lips, her cheek, she snarled as her teeth went for Ruby's throat. Jerking backwards, Weiss threw herself off of Ruby.

"Ruby..." Weiss gasped, struggling for breath."Ruby I... I'm..." Ruby cut her off with another hungry kiss, moaning as Weiss leaned into it, and gasping when Weiss jerked back again.  
"Weiss? What...?"  
"I..." I'm going to hurt you. "I don't know... Stay back Ruby!" Ruby paused where she had started moving towards her girlfriend.  
"Weiss...?" The word was a pained whisper. She started moving forward again, reaching out to take hold of Weiss's arm. The speed with which Weiss threw her shouldn't have been possible, and there was an audible pop as Ruby's arm was wrenched from its socket. Ruby cried out as she hit the ground.  
"Please... don't come after me. I don't want to hurt you..." Quickly, Weiss turned and fled, leaving a hurt and confused Ruby in her wake.

 

* * *

 

 

There was a clamour as Team RWBY arrived back at Beacon. No one could fail to notice the worn faces or the dead stares, and it was impossible to miss what Ruby clutched in her hands. When they tried to turn in a mission report, Glynda took one look at the broken trio and directed them to Ozpin. She didnt even try to pry the weapons from Ruby's white knuckled grip. She knew what a broken huntress looked like. The first thing Ozpin did was ask what had happened, his face grave. He didn't bother to ask for a proper mission report. It was Ruby who explained, her voice cracking. As she spoke, Ozpin's eyes closed, his face growing grimmer.

"Would you like to know what happened to Miss Schnee?" He asked sorrowfully. "It is a... rare occurrence. Tell me, what do we have that the Grimm do not?"  
"Aura..." murmured Blake.  
"Correct. When a person loses all their Aura, a... transformation begins. A person will become Grimm. I fear that this is what has happened to Miss Schnee." Ruby gasped softly. "It is, as I said, a rare occurrence. This is something we typically teach in your final year at Beacon. Generally, the only times you will lose Aura are when in battle, or to heal any injuries. When healing injuries, the Aura loss is sustainable. In battle, you will usually be killed. It is most common when a person is unable to let go of a loved one. You died, Ruby, and Weiss brought you back, at great cost to herself."

Ruby shattered in that moment. Weiss was a Grimm, and it was her fault. It was all because of her. If she had been just a little faster, just a little stronger... She looked down at her hands, clutching Myrtenaster and the haft of Crescent Rose. She could set this right. Of course, those watching Ruby saw nothing of this, save for a slight dulling of the already blank eyes, and a slow look at her hands. Ruby was broken, and there was nothing left of her to see.

 

* * *

 

 

Weeks passed, and during that time Ruby did not attend a single class, shutting herself away in Beacon's workshops, working. Yang came by, and Blake . Each tried so hard to talk to her, to make her talk to them, but Yang already mourned for Ruby. She knew her sister, and she knew what would happen. She did not think Ruby would survive, and sought solace in Blake's arms. Others came to her; Jaune and Pyrra, Ren and Nora, even Velvet. They brought her food and drink, for she never left, relying entirely on what was brought to her. Far too often, they would return to find the food barely touched, until one day Ruby emerged. She was carrying her new weapon.

"White Rose." Ruby said, confronted by her friends. She had attached Myrtenaster to the haft of Crescent Rose, converting the bolt action of the sniper rifle into a mechanism for switching between Myrtenaster's dust compartments. White Rose was her spear, an amalgamation of herself and Weiss. It was oddly fitting, the name. Ruby looked around slowly. When had Winter arrived? Snow was everywhere, and she was cold. It didn't matter. "It's my fault." was all she said before she disappeared in a whirlwind of rose petals.

Ruby all but flew through the emerald forest, her semblance leaving a clear trail to follow. It didn't matter, she knew where she had to go, and she knew that by the time her team caught up she would be done. She sped for mere minutes, knowing she covered a distance it would take hours to walk, coming to a stop in a clearing. She knew this clearing. She left Weiss in this clearing. She led the Grimm away from this clearing. Ruby only had to wait now. There was a rustle of feathers as Weiss landed in front of Ruby. Her arms doubled as large black wings, ending in clawed talons. Her white hair had streaks of black feathers, and her eyes... her eyes were covered by a mask of bone, extending down her nose into half a beak above her mouth, engraved with red symbols and holding a pair of glowing red eyes.  
Ruby saw none of that as Weiss shrieked, speeding towards her, she didn't hear the shriek of an almost-Nevermore. Ruby saw Weiss in a bloodstained combat skirt, she heard Weiss give an anguished cry, and she saw Weiss rush towards her, as if for a kiss. The butt end of White Rose thumped into the ground, it's other end held limply in Ruby's hand as she waited for her lover and when Weiss arrived, Ruby didn't hear the shriek of pain as Weiss impaled herself on White Rose, she heard a cry of love as they embraced, she didn't feel Weiss's talons raking through her flesh, she felt soft fingers caressing her, full of love. And as Weiss's dreadful beak pierced her skull, Ruby felt nothing at all.

Yang said nothing when they found the bodies, simply turning and burying her face in Blake's shoulder, who couldn't tear her eyes away. Jaune retched and even Pyrrha looked sick. Nora collapsed, weeping silently as Ren wrapped his arms around her. There was simply nothing left to do.


End file.
